If you own your own retail store, you have to constantly work hard at increasing your sales. There are many ways you can do this, two of which are listed below. Over time, the work you spend doing this will pay off with your business making more money.

Text Message Marketing

Text message marketing is a way you can engage past and current retail clients. Some ways you can effectively use this type of marketing include:

• Send mobile coupons to customers to entice them to come back to your store. For example, you could ask them to show the text message you sent to the cashier to receive a percentage off their next purchase.
• Send text alerts to let your customers know you have new products in your store.
• Send a text message to customers letting them know the item they ordered from you is ready for pickup.
• Announce a sales event, such as a back to school sale or winter sale.

Before you can use text message marketing, you have to obtain your customer's cell phone number.  Ask your cashiers to ask customers they are checking out if they would like to receive coupons via text messages, and then give them a small form to fill out with their cell phone number. Many of them will say yes, because it is a way for them to save money. You could also place a sign at the cash registers asking people to subscribe. Placing a notice on the sales receipts and on your website giving customers a way to input their mobile number are other ways to get the word out.

In Store Promotion

One of the most inexpensive things you can do to increase sales is to offer in-store promotions. Put stacks of flyers on your checkout counter, as well as near the door, that offers something on their next visit, such as a coupon or free sample of one of your products.

You could ask one of your employees to walk around the store handing out coupons or flyers, or even ask them to dress up in a funny costume to grab people's attention.

Ask your employees to promote upcoming events or sales to the customers as they are checking them out, and invite the customers to come back to your store again.

If you are not getting more sales after following these tips, considering hiring a text marketing company to help you develop a plan that will work for you.